Diageo's 'Stop Out of Control Drinking' Campaign in Ireland: An Analysis

BackgroundIt has been argued that the alcohol industry uses corporate social responsibility activities to influence policy and undermine public health, and that every opportunity should be taken to scrutinise such activities. This study analyses a controversial Diageo-funded ‘responsible drinking’ campaign (“Stop out of Control Drinking”, or SOOCD) in Ireland. The study aims to identify how the campaign and its advisory board members frame and define (i) alcohol-related harms, and their causes, and (ii) possible solutions.MethodsDocumentary analysis of SOOCD campaign material. This includes newspaper articles (n = 9), media interviews (n = 11), Facebook posts (n = 92), and Tweets (n = 340) produced by the campaign and by board members. All material was coded inductively, and a thematic analysis undertaken, with codes aggregated into sub-themes.ResultsThe SOOCD campaign utilises vague or self-defined concepts of ‘out of control’ and ‘moderate’ drinking, tending to present alcohol problems as behavioural rather than health issues. These are also unquantified with respect to actual drinking levels. It emphasises alcohol-related antisocial behaviour among young people, particularly young women. In discussing solutions to alcohol-related problems, it focuses on public opinion rather than on scientific evidence, and on educational approaches and information provision, misrepresenting these as effective. “Moderate drinking” is presented as a behavioural issue (“negative drinking behaviours”), rather than as a health issue.ConclusionsThe ‘Stop Out of Control Drinking’ campaign frames alcohol problems and solutions in ways unfavourable to public health, and closely reflects other Diageo Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity, as well as alcohol and tobacco industry strategies more generally. This framing, and in particular the framing of alcohol harms as a behavioural issue, with the implication that consumption should be guided only by self-defined limits, may not have been recognised by all board members. It suggests a need for awareness-raising efforts among the public, third sector and policymakers about alcohol industry strategies.

研究背景
有观点指出，酒类行业借助企业社会责任活动影响政策制定并损害公共卫生，因此应抓住一切机会审视此类活动。本研究针对爱尔兰地区由帝亚吉欧（Diageo）资助的颇具争议的“负责任饮酒”活动——“遏制失控饮酒”（Stop out of Control Drinking，简称SOOCD）展开分析。本研究旨在厘清该活动及其咨询委员会成员如何构建并界定：(i) 酒精相关危害及其成因，(ii) 可行解决方案。

研究方法
本研究采用文献分析法对SOOCD活动相关材料进行分析，涵盖该活动及委员会成员发布的报纸报道（共9篇）、媒体访谈（共11次）、脸书（Facebook）帖文（共92条）与推文（Tweets，共340条）。所有材料均采用归纳式编码法进行编码，并开展主题分析，将编码归纳为子主题。

研究结果
SOOCD活动采用模糊的、自我定义的“失控饮酒”与“适度饮酒”概念，倾向于将酒精问题呈现为行为问题而非健康问题，且此类概念未结合实际饮酒水平进行量化界定。该活动着重强调青少年群体中与酒精相关的反社会行为，尤其是青年女性群体。在探讨酒精相关问题的解决方案时，该活动侧重公众舆论而非科学证据，同时推崇教育干预与信息传播手段，并将其误称为有效措施。“适度饮酒”被构建为行为问题（即“不良饮酒行为”），而非健康问题。

研究结论
“遏制失控饮酒”活动以不利于公共卫生的方式构建酒精问题及其解决方案，其框架与帝亚吉欧其他企业社会责任（Corporate Social Responsibility，简称CSR）活动，以及全球酒类与烟草行业的战略高度契合。此种框架，尤其是将酒精危害构建为行为问题、暗示饮酒仅需遵循自我界定的限度的逻辑，或许并未获得所有委员会成员的认可。本研究表明，有必要在公众、第三部门与政策制定者中开展针对酒类行业战略的认知提升工作。